In speaking of a multi-folded compacted newspaper, or the like, and a method for so folding the newspaper which constitute the instant invention, it will be convenient to speak of a "half-folded" newspaper. That term will be utilized to descibe two types of newspapers: (1) a standard or regular newspaper in the configuration in which it is discharged by the printing press, i.e., the front page of the newspaper and all other pages are folded in half along a fold line which is parallel to the headline of the newspaper; and (2) a so-called "tabloid" type newspaper in which all of the sheets of the newspaper are folded upon themselves along a line which is perpendicular to the headline of the front page. In both instances, of course, the overall size of the "half-folded" newspaper is generally the same.
In addition, subsequent folds which are made according to the invention will be described as a "quarter-fold" and or "eighth-folds". These two folds, respectively, are a fold of the entire newspaper along a center line perpendicular to the half-fold line and secondly, two fold lines which are parallel to the "quarter-fold" and which, thus, are "eighth-folds" and extend along lines spaced midway between the "quarter-fold" and the edges of the newspaper, the fold lines and the edges all being perpendicular to the first half-fold line.
Traditionally, newspapers delivered to residences have been carried in their "half-folded" condition by paper boys and laid on the front porch. This often resulted in the paper being blown apart so paper boys learned to roll the papers, if not too thick, and tuck the roll between the sheets at one edge. It then became common for the rolled paper to be tossed onto the porch and, often, it fell into a puddle or a snow bank or came open while going through the air.
Because of the foregoing difficulties in delivering newspapers many suggestions have been made for machines or methods for folding the papers into a smaller size, as for example, by first quarter-folding and eighth-folding the paper, or by rolling it up from one side and encircling the paper with a retainer such as a rubber band. These systems tend to minimize the likelihood that sheets of the paper may blow away or become disengaged from each other during handling and they provide a more compact item which more readily can be handled.
Multi-folding and thus minimizing the apparent area of a newspaper has become even more important during recent years because of the increased costs of delivery of newspapers, particularly to homes. In many cities, indeed, newspaper carriers have been eliminated and newspapers are delivered to residential areas from a delivery truck with the operator simply throwing the compacted newspaper toward the house, hopefully onto the front porch.
This system of delivery presents two major problems. First, the multi-folded compacted newspaper must be so tightly held in that position that it will not open during its travel through the air enroute from the deliveryman to the porch and second, it should be protected so that in inclement weather it will not be spoiled by falling either into a mud puddle or into a bank of snow.
For the foregoing reasons, apparatuses have been developed in which the newspapers are quarter-folded along a medial line perpendicular to the half-fold and then both quarter sections are eighth-folded in the same direction along a second line parallel to and spaced from the quarter-fold line. Because these machines involve intermittent actuations of the folding means, the newspapers cannot progress continuously through the machines but are stopped and started frequently which has an unfortunate tendency to tear their surfaces or to cause them to jam in the folding mechanisms.
In some instances, half-folded newspapers also have been rolled either parallel to the half-fold or perpendicular thereto and then inserted in preformed open ended bags or sleeves or protective sheet material, in some instances even plastic films. In other cases, rolled newspapers have been overwrapped by sheets of paper such as Kraft paper, the overwrap then being retained in overwrapping position by adhering overlapping edges thereof to each other, or in other ways.
An apparatus for folding and rolling a newspaper along fold lines around an axis parallel to the "half-fold" and placing thereon an overwrap is disclosed in Hannon et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,161,000.
In most instances, prior art apparatuses and methods which have been provided for folding newspapers into configurations of lesser overall size than the half-folded newspapers have folded the newspaper in the same direction in each successive fold. This has requirded the use of folding blades which force the newspaper between chutes or rollers, or, the continued folding or rolling of the newspaper upon itself in the same direction.
While some success has been achieved by a prior art method employing mechanisms which roll the newspapers, wrap them in paper and tie them in the rolled shape, those mechanisms are complicated and are difficult to maintain in good working condition. In other prior art methods and machines, manual insertion of the folded newspapers into protective bags is required. In other suggested methods, it has been difficult to provide the apparatuses for carrying them out which securely fasten the newspapers in rolled or folded configuration without an unsatisfactory percentage of damaged or torn newspapers.
It is therefore the principal object of the instant invention to provide a multi-folded newspaper and a method for so folding it that the newspaper can move continuously through an apparatus designed to carry out the method with minimized risk of damage to the newspaper to present the multi-folded newspaper to means for releasably retaining it in compact, multi-folded condition. These means may be either a tying mechanism which wraps a string or other restricting means around the exterior of the multi-folded newspaper or, as a further example, a continuously operated wrapping means which encloses the newspaper within a sheet of paper or plastic film which preferably is moisture proof.
It is yet another object of the instant invention to provide a multi-folded newspaper having a particular configuration which results from its continuous folding according to the method of the invention and its subsequent retention in that configuration.